Cornwall Council has just revealed that a new roundabout which has been branded "confusing and dangerous" is actually not a roundabout, which means different highway rules apply.

The junction of Dennison Road, Berrycoombe Road and Pool Street in Bodmin, which was built during the Better Bodmin scheme put in place over the past year, has been criticised by residents. They said it looks like a roundabout but has no visibility nor signage.

They also pointed out that a crash happened at the spot on Saturday, which Devon and Cornwall police confirmed although its cause was still unknown.

A spokesman said: "Police were called at 8.30pm for a two-vehicle road traffic collision. Fortunately all people in the vehicles were unharmed."

People reacted to the news saying that the junction was "a lottery, not a roundabout", that road users could not see it when it rained and that "it needs signage".

Although the circle pattern on the road suggests drivers must approach it like a roundabout, Cornwall Council has now outlined what the rule actually is.

Dennison Road junction in Bodmin

A spokesman for Cornwall Council said: "Clearly we are concerned to learn of any road traffic collision on any of our roads. However there are various factors which can contribute to a road traffic collision and without knowing the full details of the incident at this time it would not be appropriate for us to speculate further.

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"Road safety is paramount to us and road safety audits were carried out during the design and planning process for the scheme. We are frequently monitoring the area and a further road safety audit will take place before Christmas."

She added that the council was encouraging people to slow down and consider one another and that surveys showed that drivers on Dennison Road were stopping and allowing them to do so without the need of instruction from traffic lights or pedestrian crossings.

"We would like to remind road users that the junction of Dennison Road, Berrycombe Road and Pool Street is not a roundabout," the spokesman added. "It is an unmarked junction and we advocate that motorists do as they would at any other unmarked junction where no driver has signed priority over another – or any other time that they are behind the wheel - that they drive with due care and attention."

She added that signs will shortly be installed at the entrances of the low-speed environment area – the sections of highway marked with red surfacing – to remind road users of their responsibility to drive carefully and of the need to consider others.

"This is not related to the minor road traffic collision which took place in Dennison Road," they said.